Tag: injury

Sleet and head colds

On January 17, 2019

screenshot from 2019-01-17 07-05-11 Winter arrived with a bad attitude across Illinois shortly into January. It had been a mild winter through November and December.

We’re now getting those extremes of snow, white-outs, rain, ice, sleet, etc. Like it just can’t be cold and snowy, it has to be more mean spirited and keep us guessing.

For me, of course, means my morning runs are just a bit more complicated to dress for and route-adjust.

Today was sleet, but I think more rain than a snow mix which was way better than yesterday. There was ice on everything yesterday morning. It was so sorry out there that I actually had to cut my run short to 6.5 miles because I just couldn’t get traction plus the risks of falling and injury increased with each mile. I had an all-time worst 11:15 mile, would that be a personal-worst (PW)?

While I still had to be a bit reserved and cautious for hidden slick spots, I was able to get higher than 8 miles in at a 9:15 pace. Be thankful for the little things!

Interference comes not only the weather though, but there has also been a lot of sick people around which has impacted my airways too. I know many folks won’t exercise while dealing with cold-like symptoms and I’m not all that enthusiastic about it, but, I’m already feeling crumby, so I might as well work out too.

What I find interesting about running with a cold is that once I get to my running temperature and anaerobic state (usually about the 1-mile mark), I rarely have any airway restrictions and it even helps loosen some of the ‘gunk.’ I may go back to feeling puny later in the day, but I love how my run can provide its own form of medicine.

Snow down, fall down, slow down

By ps401t3

On January 12, 2019

In Blog

screenshot from 2019-01-12 10-12-42 The first significant snow of the season began overnight. In town, there were about 2-3 inches when I started the morning run. We knew it was coming so I knew I’d have to be mentally prepared for the conditions.

The plows had been through the town streets a few times since it began, so the roads had less standing inches but were messy and spotty where it was hard to determine what was an ice chunk or a soft snow pile. I decided to run into the wind and blowing snow as I started out so as to get a better vantage point of the weather out in the fields.

Just a few houses down from mine I hit a patch of ice beneath the plowed snow and down I went. While it only takes fractions of seconds to fall, I could hear the UGH! coming out of my mouth before I hit the ground. I landed primarily on the right-glute and right arm. Covered with snow and wondering what is going to hurt later, I get up in a slow trot and scan to see if everything is functional. Tender, but no broken things and no major complaints, I continue the trek east into the blowing snow.

The first mile facing the wind there were some vehicle tracks to follow through the unplowed county road, I decided to head south at the next option, again using the vehicle tracks as a break from the deeper snow. The mile ahead I could see a snow plow heading toward me, and I’m guessing the driver thought “what a nut-job” as we passed. At least that mile provided some options without a few inches of loose snow.

Sadly, the next mile was unplowed and even deeper with snow as the wind was creating drifts that were probably 6-8 inches deep in places, yet onward is the goal. Turning right toward the west the wind was at my back which was a nice relief from the snow hitting my face, but the snow was deeper! I did find an occasional vehicle track which dropped the depth back in the 2-3 inch range and was easier to drive forward, the other issue with snowy conditions like that is you cannot see the surface well as everything is definitionless white.

The first mile heading north was a better road as it was a higher road making the east side of it safer as the snow was being blown to the west side. The 2nd and 3rd miles north had been plowed and were easier to navigate while anticipating slippery surfaces.

My average mile time was 9:48 at the end of this which I didn’t think was bad considering the fall and the tight-n-short stride I had to use to be more cautious, plus running in the deeper snow requires a higher leg lift and slower pace.

Hey, it’s winter in the midwest, like-it or leave-it. I like variety, so this works for me and helps me appreciate the times when I have better surfaces to run on.

Winter skin issues

By ps401t3

On December 12, 2018

In Blog

Corn Huskers Lotion is my favorite. Why – because it helps relieve the irritation of dry weather skin and has a minimalist scent. Screenshot from 2018-12-12 14-09-18

I know I’m not the only one who has dry skin when the cold weather sets in. Combined with the additional hand washing during the winter cold and flu season, the hands can get a bit irritated.

Hands, feet, even my nose gets rough in the winter weather. Elbows and knees, shin and toes too! Yes, my nose… if you run outdoors, I think you’ll agree, you need a handkerchief or towel to keep up with the condensation while running. The recurring wiping can really dry the skin. Again, the Corn Huskers is mild enough to help even there.

Screenshot from 2018-12-12 14-11-32 With my best efforts to maintain and/or revitalize the skin, I still have the occasional skin-split around a fingernail (cracked fingertips). If you’ve ever had these, you know how much they can hurt and impede ordinary tasks!

I use one of the “liquid bandage” products for these cracks. The product provides a layer of protection and doesn’t wash off quickly, plus I believe it helps speed up the healing process by reducing the open exposure.

Yes, it stings a little going on, but no more than bumping the split on something just one time.

What about injuries?

By Jerry Schotz

On November 12, 2018

In Blog

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

When is everything just fine? Seldom ever!

If I think about it, there is some pain somewhere in my body every day. When you’re a runner there are common areas that can ache (or worse) regularly; then there are those pain points that you can’t ignore.

Get to know your body parts at least at the high-level, so you know what hurts and what you may be able to do about it.

Know your buttocks! This may sound funny or the start of a joke, but for the runner having an understanding of what all connect in that part of your body can be helpful. I know I’m not alone in saying the sciatic nerve and piriformis muscle can be a pain in the backside.

In your legs be aware of the quads and hamstrings of the upper leg, the knee area (for example the MCL, ACL, LCL), the lower leg with the tibia bone as the main support and fibula as the smaller bone structure, and the Achilles tendon running down the back of the leg to the heel. In your feet get to know the plantar group which runs across the bottom from the heel forward. These are my primary points of attention.

There are a lot more muscles and technical information available. If I can toot my company’s own horn for a moment, I like the book “Running Anatomy” by Joe Puleo and Patrick Milroy in our collection of Running Books here. As of this post, the 2nd edition is available. What I like about this book is that it contained some technical information and structures for practical application for the non-anatomy-expert.

The rest of your body is involved in running as well. I was surprised how I injured my rib cage and shoulders while running! I’ll talk about the head and the impact of our thinking in a different post. I mentioned in another post about my non-running exercise; these upper body injuries are the reason I do the extra workout. Be sure to keep your torso strong and flexible to make your running more effective and enjoyable.

Do I stop exercise when I have an injury? No, I compensate.

For example, when I separated some ribs, it became challenging to take a deep breath thus making a full run out of the question, but I could power walk and walk I did!

With leg, knee, ankle, and foot issues, I find ways to compensate for the pain or injury. This may include less aggressive speed, reduced difficulty routes, a change in gait which often includes a change in the foot strike zone. Whatever I can do to keep moving. This tactic has worked well over the years. A note of caution – oft times when compensating for one injury you can create another pain point, be sure to pay close attention to what hurts!

You may want to consider Pilates, Yoga, or other massage and stretching therapies. Here is a great resource from a Physical Therapist and Pilates expert on dealing with pain and injury.

Listen to your body, but don’t stop moving.